In my above mentioned patent a saw table for use with normally hand-held circular saws comprises a bed having a forward end, being that end at which an operator of the saw would stand, and a rearward end. Adjacent the rearward end there is located a miter fence which in plan view comprises two arms in a 90.degree. V formation, the apex of which points towards the forward end of the table. A pair of parallel rails are mounted above the surface extending from front to back of the table. Each rail has a track therealong, in which tracks the sole plate of the saw, or an auxiliary sole plate to which that of the saw may be attached, is engageable for movement of the saw over the surface of the table.
The saw is engaged in the tracks with the handle of the saw pointing towards the forward end of the table, and cutting is preferably effected by pulling the saw through the work piece, in the manner of a radial arm saw operation. Cross-cuts are easily effected by using an auxiliary table; the rearward edge of this auxiliary table has a complementary V formation to that of the miter fence, against which it will abut, and the forward edge, against which the work piece will abut, is transverse to the direction of the track.
Such arrangement is suited for the majority of trim work likely to be undertaken when using the saw table. However in those instances where thicker or wider work pieces are to be sawn, the presence of the auxiliary table is an encumbrance. Additionally, the necessity of abutting the auxiliary table against the miter fence makes it desirable that the miter fence be permanently fixed in position.
The track is preferably provided with a stop adjacent each end to prevent the inadvertent disengagement of the saw therefrom. Given that it is undesirable that the track overhang the table, and given that the sole plate of a saw normally has a length substantially greater than the diameter of the saw blade, the track stop generally acts to limit the travel of the cutting edge of the saw blade well prior to it being in proximity to the ends of the table, thereby unnecessarily restricting the usable surface of the saw table.
Portable circular saws are normally provided with a blade guard that will retract automatically when the saw is pushed into the work piece. When the saw is pulled into the work piece it is desirable to provide a means for automatically retracting the blade. In my above mentioned patent I provided one such means, which is the nature of a recoil reel which locates on the rail. While this performs in a satisfactory manner, it is relatively expensive, and adds significantly to the manufacturing costs of what is intended to be a relatively low cost item.